The Property of Lord Glorfindel
by NovemberDreamer
Summary: A boy's life is turned upside down and he sets out on a quest to find Lord Glorfindel, who may be his only hope. My first fanfiction story!  Please R & R, no flames.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I do not own Lord of the Rings

Author's Note: This is my first fanfiction story! Please R & R and no flames, please.

**Chapter 1**

This story begins in a place called Middle Earth during the third age in a little town called Bree which lay between Rivendell and the Shire. Mainly humans lived in Bree and rarely did any travel farther than they would, as they felt safe within their borders. They did trade occasionally with other folk but were content to keep to themselves for the most part.

One of the livelier places in Bree was an establishment called The Prancing Pony. It was a tavern and inn where all were welcome. It could be a rough place if one did not watch his step. The proprietor, however, was a kindly man who had no family of his own save his brother, who owned the livery, and his nephew who was sometimes a bit too mischievous for his own good. The boy's name was Seth Colton. He was 16 years old, about 5 feet 10 inches tall with dirty blonde hair that always seemed to find itself in his eyes. Still, he was a good-looking young man who worked hard to help his father with the livery business.

One night at the tavern, the oldest man in the village, who was also known as The Storyteller, was in a more than usually talkative mood as he most likely had one too many pints of ale. Needless to say, he had the whole of the tavern tuned in to his story that night. This particular story was believed to be only legend and was quite intriguing to listen to. Seth's father, Yahnko, knew that what the old man was saying was, indeed, truth. The story went like this:

Long ago, the mighty elven Lord Glorfindel of Gondolin slayed an evil beast - a Balrog of Morgoth - in order to save his people from their doom. Unfortunately, Lord Glorfindel was the only survivor and that was because he actually died and was then brought back to life by the Valar.

The people of Bree admired Lord Glorfindel and it was said in the legend that parents would tattoo or brand their children with the seal/crest of Lord Glorfindel's house. The reason for doing so was that should the parents die or the inhabitants of the town be destroyed by some evil force, and if the children survived, the children could then be taken to Lord Glorfindel where he would keep them safe. The brand or tattoo meant that the child belonged to the elf lord - he or she would be the property of the Balrog slayer.

Yahnko was perhaps the last of the humans to have actually branded his son with the mark of Lord Glorfindel's house. The brand was kept hidden. Yahnko did not want his neighbors and friends to think he was crazy, after all, it was a myth and the people wondered who would be so cruel as to actually brand their own child in the first place. Seth knew what the brand meant and he had always obeyed his father by keeping it secret, even until this very night. No one knew and, as he would find out, they would never have the chance to know of its existence, for in the dark of the night after everyone had gone home and had long been in their beds, foul creatures descended upon the townsfolk and slaughtered them all, save one.

Yahnko had stirred in the night after hearing the horses panic in the livery. His gut told him something bad was about to happen. He quickly woke Seth.

"You must go to the secret hiding place and stay there until morning," his father told him urgently.

Seth begged his father to let him go with him. "But father, I want to come with you. If there is trouble, I can fight." His pleading was to no avail.

"Son, I need you to stay safe. I do not know who or what is out there and I cannot risk losing you. Please, you must do this for me."

"Very well," Seth agreed a bit unwillingly, "but be careful". Seth was to stay hidden then and wait for his father's return, yet he really did not want to hide. He wanted to fight, but he would obey his father.

Yahnko fetched his weapons and went to the livery to check on the horses. He would never return.

Seth heard many screams while in his hiding place. He smelled smoke and heard more screaming and yelling as time wore on. He wished he could help but he was frightened and wanted his father to come back to the house and tell him everything would be alright. At the same time, he wanted to rush out of the hiding place with a weapon and fight, but he promised his father he would stay hidden. By the time morning arrived, all was eerily quiet. Seth decided to stay in the hiding place a bit longer. He was afraid of what he might find upon his emergence but he knew he could not stay hidden forever.

Eventually, at about mid morning, Seth climbed out of his hiding place and hesitantly opened the front door. Many buildings and homes had burned but what he saw next he would never forget. There were bodies littering the dirt road, some lay in the doorways of their shops or homes, some with weapons beside them or clutched in their dead hands. Some of the bodies were charred. The smell of blood was overwhelming and, as he scanned the area, he noticed other bodies strewn about - bodies of the attackers. The strangers had dark hair and tanned skin, some had shaved heads and some had tattoos. He thought that these people were either the Easterlings or the Haradrim, or were they one in the same? He did not know for certain. He had heard stories of unsavory tribes and evil creatures but he had been spared any dealings with them. At least some of the townsfolk were able to dispatch a few of the enemy forces before being cut down themselves.

Seth knew he had to find his father. As he walked cautiously toward the stables, he wondered why the strangers would target the people of Bree. Who was behind the villainy? His world had been fairly safe and sheltered up until this point but there was no use trying to figure this whole thing out right here and now. He had to find his father. Trying to stay close to the buildings for cover in case any enemies remained in his town, he continued on until he reached the stables.

The doors were open and Seth crept inside. He found his father lifelessly upon the unforgiving ground, dead. Seth could see that the man fought bravely but it was not enough to save his own life. Seth knelt next to Yahnko and cried. He told his father goodbye, said a prayer for him and then dug a grave. He wrapped his father in some canvas material he found in the stable and put him in the grave which he then filled in with dirt. He piled stones atop the site so as to protect the body from ravenous animals, which would undoubtedly descend upon the scene in a few hours. With this in mind, Seth kept the burial simple, yet reverent. Yahnko had been a good man and a good father. Seth was glad his mother was not here to witness such savagery or to have succumbed to her death in such a way. She had died when he was a very young child and he did not have many memories of her except he knew that she loved him. Now, however, was not the time for such sentimentalities. Seth felt he did not have much time as his senses were on high alert and he felt almost paranoid that the enemy would return. He went back to his house to gather some supplies that he would need for his journey. He knew what he must do. He had to find Lord Glorfindel.

By the time the young man was ready to set out, it was nearly suppertime, not that it mattered much as he had no appetite. However, he would not get very far before darkness settled in. Despite this, Seth could not remain in the town surrounded by death or take the chance that the murderers would return. He was determined to make good time nonetheless. As it was, however, the town's horses were either killed, taken by the surviving attackers, or had just run away, which left Seth in a very unfortunate situation.

Seth headed east towards Rivendell, for it was rumored that Lord Glorfindel resided there. The boy had his father's sword strapped to his back and carried various bags of food and water. He had a bedroll, a rope, a cloak and a few cooking supplies. Seth carried a knife and a bow and some arrows. One could never be too prepared.

Just out of town and down the road about a mile, Seth discovered another survivor. He couldn't believe it! Not 20 yards away stood a white yearling colt that had belonged to a prominent businessman in town. Now it belonged to Seth - at least he hoped to be able to secure his rope around the animal and fashion a halter so he could lead it along with him. The yearling was thought to be a descendent of some great elvish horse and, if he truly was of elven horse blood, he needed to have an elvish name. This might prove to be an unfruitful task as Seth knew very little elvish. At the moment, they both needed to get as far away from Bree as possible. The colt was friendly and kind and was, therefore, an easy catch.

The boy and the yearling set out for Rivendell. If Lord Glorfindel was not there, Seth figured the elves should know where to find him. And so began the saga to seek out Seth's protector and rightful owner.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

The journey seemed to be a long one but it was, for the most part, without incident. The terrain was rocky at times and there were some storms from which the two travelers had to find shelter. At long last, after three months of traveling, Seth caught a break. He had known he was close to Rivendell, but this was confirmed when he saw a camp teeming with elves! He should have realized that he would be spotted first, however. He had been watched for some time and was now being approached by two elves. There were other elves in the trees, drawing a bead on him with their bows and arrows. He needed to make no sudden moves. He put his hands up and stopped.

"Who are you, lad?" the elf on his left asked.

"My name is Seth Colton. I am from Bree. My business is with Lord Glorfindel of Gondolin. Do you know where I can find him?"

"What business could a human boy have with the great balrog slayer?" laughed the elf on his right.

"That is between me and him," Seth said stiffly. "Do you know where he is or not?"

The first elf came closer. "You may need a lesson in manners, boy, and I am sure Lord Glorfindel could teach them to you," he chuckled. "Conveniently for you, our lord is in this very camp. Come with us and we will take you to him."

The three of them, with the colt in tow, started walking towards the campsite. A few elves stopped what they were doing to look at the newcomers. Eventually, the four arrived at a training area. There were elves with swords, others doing hand to hand combat moves, and still others practicing with their arrows, making the mark every time. This was quite impressive. Then, with no introduction necessary, Seth spotted the mighty Lord Glorfindel. It could only be him. He was truly magnificent. The Valar had allowed the elf lord to be reborn and his countenance shone brighter than the other elves. He was also quite strong. Seth could tell this just by looking at his massive muscles rippling beneath his shirt. Seth felt puny compared to him. That did not matter, however, as Lord Glorfindel would be his protector and Seth still had some growing and maturing to do. Enough thinking, Seth thought to himself. It was time for an introduction. One of the elves who escorted him into the camp spoke first. "Lord Glorfindel, this boy has sought you out but would not explain what business he has with you." "I see," said the elf lord, "let him speak".

"Thank you, Lord Glorfindel. My name is Seth Colton and I come from the village of Bree. All of the townsfolk were killed by a foreign people just three months past. I am the only human survivor and this colt is the only animal that I found alive. We belong to you."

The elf lord was taken aback from hearing this last bit of information but he needed to give his condolences to the boy.

"I am truly sorry for your loss, young one, but what do you mean that you belong to me? How is this so?" he asked in bewilderment.

Seth explained about how his people admired Lord Glorfindel and revered the legend of the Balrog Slayer. He told him of the branding and how the adults desired the elvish lord to be the protector of their children should anything befall them or should they somehow become unable to care for their families.

"So my father branded me with the crest of your house, my lord."

Seth showed Lord Glorfindel the brand that he had kept secret all these years. The balrog slayer was impressed with the clarity and accuracy of the brand and to this he gave a compliment.

"Your father has done amazing work with this brand. It is quite to my satisfaction."

Seth bowed his head. "Thank you, my lord. My father would be grateful that it is acceptable."

"Be that as it may, it matters not."

"Why would it not matter to you, my lord?" Seth asked in confused disbelief.

Lord Glorfindel flatly stated, "I do not want to care for a human child. Your people assumed that I would take on that responsibility, but they were mistaken. Why would I do what they desire? I have no interest in humans."

The boy could not believe what he was hearing! Lord Glorfindel completely surprised him. After all, his father and the townsfolk truly believed that the elf lord would take their children in with no questions or hesitation. They were too bold in their assumptions and were obviously wrong and now Seth had to stop himself from gawking openly at this legend before him.

"Sir, I beg of you," Seth pleaded, "I have no one else. I belong to you, as does the yearling colt. Please do not turn us away."

For a moment, Lord Glorfindel seemed to look right through Seth but he uttered not one word. He just turned and strode back towards the training area where he had been previously working. As Seth watched the lord leave him, he wondered what he would do. Surely this was not the end, but where was he to go? What was he to do? As he had just stated to his rightful owner, he had no one else.

Seth started to walk in the opposite direction, leading the yearling. He had to contemplate what his next move would be. Maybe he should give Lord Glorfindel more time to think. Yes, that was it. Once he thought more about it, he would agree to keep Seth and the colt. It was nerve-wracking for Seth to wait. He whittled a piece of wood into a small figurine that looked, say, wolf-ish. He tossed it aside. After four hours of waiting, it was time. He stood up and walked towards the camp, finally mustering the nerve to make his presence known to the elven guards. But then, as he thought briefly about this, they most likely knew where he was the whole time anyhow.

"_You_, again," stated one guard in disgust. "Why are you still hanging around? I thought Lord Glorfindel dismissed you."

"I have to speak with him one more time," Seth implored.

"Your luck will be no better," the elf laughed, "but go ahead and see how far you can get."

Angry yet undeterred, Seth headed towards the campsite, hoping to at least be welcomed to stay the night. The boy could not lose hope. Perhaps in the morning Lord Glorfindel would see things a bit differently.

As Seth entered the camp, a different guard that he had not seen before stopped him, saying distastefully,

"What is your business, human? I truly doubt that you are welcome here."

"Please, allow me to speak with Lord Glorfindel. I am sure he will explain my presence to you."

"Very well, I will speak to Lord Glorfindel. Wait here," the guard said sternly.

Seth waited, his nerves getting the better of him. The colt was with him, always with a calming demeanor, and Seth stroked his neck and spoke softly to him.

"Yearling, you and I are homeless. We have no family. We desperately need Lord Glorfindel to take us in. If he does, we can learn much, and I can finally give you a deserving name."

Lost in his thoughts, Seth was startled when the guard returned and spoke to him impatiently.

"Boy, my lord will see you now. I will take the colt and put him with the other horses and give him some food and water. Make haste. Lord Glorfindel does not like to be kept waiting. He is in that tent over there," he said while pointing in the way Seth should go.

Seth set off towards the tent that was Lord Glorfindel's. His heart beat faster and his breath hitched. He swallowed. He needed some water. He was nervous but he needed to concentrate on how he would present himself to the elf lord. May the Valar help him.

Seth was about 15 feet away from the tent when the balrog slayer appeared from within it.

"You do not give up easily, boy, I'll give you that," stated Lord Glorfindel. "Have you come to plead your case with me one last time?" he asked with amusement. A smile lit his face.

Seth was confused with the lord's demeanor; however, he gathered his wits and spoke. "Lord Glorfindel, there is much that I can learn from you and this I wish to do. I realize that you may think that I, as a human boy, have little to offer you, but you would be wrong in that type of thinking", he said boldly.

"Go on, brave one", Lord Glorfindel prodded.

Seth felt as if the elf lord was making fun of him, but he would not back down. "My lord, I am your property. You can do whatever you want with me. I could be your slave if you wish. Just know that, if you decide to keep me, I will be truly grateful. I will do anything you ask of me."

Lord Glorfindel had been thinking earlier of the boy and now that he had come back to him and had given him such a fine speech, the lord could not resist. Why shouldn't he take the boy in? He would decide what to do with him later. There were many possibilities. He had to admit that Seth made a good point, only he had forgotten one thing.

"Seth, you may offer yourself, but what of the colt? Is it also branded?" he asked with curiosity.

"No, my lord, the colt is not branded, but because he belongs to me then he is also your property. Whatever I have is yours. Will you take us in then?"

"I will honor your father's wish and agree to care for you, and the colt will also be mine. I will let you know on the morrow what your role in my house shall be."

With that, the lord opened the tent flap for Seth to enter.

"Thank you, my lord. You will not be disappointed, I promise."

Lord Glorfindel hoped the boy was right. However, this was a situation he could take to his advantage. He would have to decide what role Seth would play in his life. At this point in time, he figured that the boy would need a good night's rest if he were to be a member of Lord Glorfindel's household. Seth was just getting settled in for the night on his bedroll. He was exhausted, and why shouldn't he be? He had been through so much and had traveled so far and for so long. Finally, he found whom he had been searching for and hoped that he would indeed not disappoint the elf lord. Morning would bring him a new life. With this thought, Seth closed his eyes and drifted off into a very peaceful, restful and safe sleep.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

"It's time to get up, Seth." Lord Glorfindel had been up already for about thirty minutes. What he heard from the boy next was almost heart-wrenching.

"Just a few more minutes, father." Seth rolled over and pulled the blanket over his head. It was a childish thing to do. He must have been dreaming. He certainly must have forgotten where he was and to whom he belonged. His master would go easy on him the first day. There were many things Seth would need to learn.

Again, Lord Glorfindel tried to wake the boy. "Seth," he said louder, "You need to get up, NOW".

Seth sat up with a start and looked up at the elf lord standing before him. Embarrassed, he apologized and got up straightaway. "Lord Glorfindel, forgive me," he said as he bowed his head.

Lord Glorfindel took three steps and raised the boy's chin. "You are forgiven, boy. Just don't let it happen again."

"There is the wash basin in that corner. Get cleaned up and then I will take you to the horses. I want you to tend to my colt and my stallion. There are many things that I will teach you today, so I want you to be mindful and pay attention."

Seth replied with a "Yes, sir" and watched Lord Glorfindel leave the tent. Immediately, Seth washed up. His first day was definitely not the one he intended to mess up on. He soon walked outside and headed toward the horses, which was where his master was waiting for him.

"Ah, Seth, Look at the colt. He has made himself at home with the other horses. That usually does not happen with a human's horse."

"What do you mean, my lord?" Seth inquired.

"You see, the elvish horses are different from the horses that humans keep. They are stronger and are more in tune with their riders. We do not necessarily own our horses. They agree to stay with us and allow us to ride them."

"Wow" was all Seth could muster. He had always wondered about elvish horses, and then the yearling had been thought to have been a decendent of an elvish horse. He must tell Lord Glorfindel. "The colt is said to be of elvish horse decent, my lord, but there was no way that anybody from our town could verify it."

"Indeed." Lord Glorfindel thought for a moment. "I believe it may be true, Seth. He gets along with the other horses and they have accepted him as well. He does seem to take after my own horse, Asfaloth. They may well be related."

"My lord, I was hoping to give the colt an elvish name when he became mine. Unfortunately, I am not familiar with the elvish language."

"I see. Well, since the colt belongs to me, I shall come up with a befitting name for him. You need not worry about it."

"Thank you, my lord." Seth was glad for that, but he could not help feeling a little disappointed. He had wanted to discover a proper elvish name for the colt, but now that the animal was not his anymore, he had no say.

"Seth, the first thing you will do in the morning is make sure the horses are fed and watered. You will then groom them. After that, you may have breakfast. Now, let me show you what to do."

For the next two hours, Lord Glorfindel showed Seth how to take care of the horses. He had him do as he was shown and Seth got the approval he had hoped for. Seth would be responsible for Asfaloth and the colt. Since he had worked with his father in the livery in Bree, Seth was familiar with this type of work.

At last it was time for breakfast. At the campsite, there were some elves that chose to eat only Lembas bread, but there were those who chose to eat other foods that Seth thought he might prefer. He had to say that the food was delicious! He was glad that he was not going to have to cook for himself any longer; at least he didn't think he would. After breakfast, Lord Glorfindel explained what some of Seth's other duties would be. His life would not be easy, but he did not really expect that it would. Besides, he had worked hard for his father so he was no greenhorn when it came to hard work. He prided himself on doing the best he could, so he hoped that he would be able to please his master.

Seth learned that some of his other responsibilities would include shining Lord Glorfindel's boots, cleaning and polishing his master's armor, and waxing Asfaloth's saddle and bridle. These duties may or may not continue upon their arrival in Rivendell. Seth was made aware that in Rivendell he would live in Lord Glorfindel's personal chambers and there would be other tasks assigned to him.

After breakfast, Seth set out to wax Asfaloth's saddle and bridle. He actually looked forward to it as this work would make him think of his father. He really missed his father but was thankful that Glorfindel had indeed taken him in. Being lost in his thoughts, Seth failed to notice three elves sneaking up on him. Really, sneaking? As elves, they did not have to do anything particularly different than they normally would. Seth was just a human and his senses were nothing like theirs. These three elves disliked the human race and thought them to be distrustful, disgusting, and generally useless. The leader of the group stepped from the shadows and, as he did, spooked the boy. The elf laughed.

"What a hilarious sight you are - didn't even know we were here". The other two elves emerged as well, laughing at Seth's expense. These elves made Seth nervous.

"What do you want?" Seth asked cautiously.

"Well, what we would really like is to see you gone. Humans do not belong in the company of elves".

"I see," Seth said while looking at the ground. "Perhaps you should take that up with Lord Glorfindel," Seth stated firmly while looking directly into the eyes of the leader elf.

"Hah! _Lord Glorfindel_ is a joke! He couldn't even save his own people!"

At that statement, Seth blew any sort of cool he had left and leapt at the elf, who easily avoided him.

"Tsk, tsk, too slow, _human,_" the elf jeered.

Disregarding the comments directed at him, Seth blurted out, "How dare you speak of Lord Glorfindel with such disrespect. He is a hero. He fought and slayed the Balrog of Morgoth and was fatally wounded in the process. The Valar saw fit to allow him to be reborn. You do not even deserve to be in his presence!" Seth spoke with such conviction and emotion. He was angry at what the elf had said and wanted to fight him. He knew that he would be on the losing end, but it was all he could do to hold back.

After hearing the human boy's speech, the leader elf swung out with his fist and nailed Seth on the side of his face. His left cheek took the full force of the punch. It happened too fast. Seth was down, but not out. He shook his head and put his hand to his face. Slowly, yet purposefully, he got up and faced the elf that hit him.

"You want to go then?" Seth asked. He felt his adrenalin pumping throughout his body as it never had before. If he had to die fighting this elf over the honor of his master's name, then so be it.

"_Human_," the elf said distastefully and then spit on the ground, "You don't have a chance."

The two beings faced each other, crouching to a degree, moving about in a small circle, waiting for one or the other of them to make the first move. Seth stared hard into the elf's eyes. The elf swung at Seth but the boy ducked. Seth then barreled into the elf with all his strength and the two of them ended up rolling on the ground. The elf wound up on top of Seth and started to hit the boy about the head and face. Seth tried to block the abuse he was being served, but with little success. At that very moment, when Seth thought all was lost, he heard a voice that stilled every single one of them. It belonged to Lord Glorfindel.

"Break up this fight at once," ordered the elf lord. Immediately, those that were standing stood at attention. The elf that had been pummeling Seth got off him and stood up, but did not stand at attention. The boy got up slowly and swayed a little but caught his balance. All eyes were on Glorfindel, waiting for him to speak again. Nobody wanted to offer up any explanations, although they realized it would be unavoidable. "Niracasson, what in the name of Eru is going on?" Glorfindel demanded.

The elf that had fought with Seth spoke up, "My lord, forgive me, but the human was saying terrible things about you and I thought it best if I taught him a lesson, you know, put him in his place."

Seth thought he could have come up with a better one. Apparently, Glorfindel was thinking along the same lines.

"Is that so? That is not what I heard or what I observed."

Niracasson practically blanched at the elf lord's words. "So, you witnessed the whole incident then?"

"Yes, and I am very displeased with you."

"My lord, you have allowed a filthy human to live amongst us, which I and some other elves find absolutely revolting. You should send the boy away. He does not belong here."

"I believe you are mistaken, Niracasson, for it is _you_ who does not belong with us. Either pack up and get out or apologize to me and to Seth, in which case you will be allowed to stay."

The elf looked absolutely shocked. He thought to himself that for now he would apologize, but it was not the end of the matter. No, he would not just let this go. Perhaps when the elf lord and the boy were not expecting it, he would make his move. Yes, he had made his decision. "Lord Glorfindel, forgive me for my unkind words about you and for my violent actions against the boy. Seth, I also ask for your forgiveness. I was wrong."

Glorfindel and Seth were both surprised, but did not completely believe the sincerity of the elf. Still, they forgave him, hoping the situation was behind them.

"Now that this is all settled, I think it is time to get cleaned up and prepare for the evening meal. The cook has managed to conjure up a special treat for us tonight." Lord Glorfindel smiled at Seth and put his hand on his shoulder and led him towards the encampment. Seth felt proud of himself for standing up for his master, and to have his master stand up for him, well, that was just amazing. He was starting to feel like he really did belong here amongst the elves. The only problem was Niracasson and his elf thugs. He had a feeling it was not over, but for now he would try to enjoy the evening. Lord Glorfindel seemed at ease, so why should he worry?

Author's Note: Thank you to all who reviewed so far!


	4. Chapter 4

Author's Note: I apologize for not adding a new chapter in almost a year. I will finish this story! I promise that Chapter 5 will be posted soon. Thank you for your patience.

**Chapter 4**

After supper Seth was allowed to go to the river to take a bath. At the location he selected, there was a spot that was set back from the main river which made for the perfect bathing area. Thankfully Seth was alone but nonetheless, he decided to make quick work of washing himself since he never knew when an elf would choose to take a bath as well and Seth preferred his privacy. The summer evening had provided enough warmth and light for Seth to get the job done rather quickly, yet efficiently. Seth put on some clean clothes and headed back to Glorfindel's tent. His master was not inside and he wondered if there was anything else the elf lord wished for him to do this evening. This was just a fleeting thought as he was so exhausted that he went straight to bed and fell fast asleep.

Meanwhile, Glorfindel spoke with his men about breaking camp the next morning and traveling back to Rivendell. Nothing out of the ordinary had been discovered on this mission. The patrol had been awaiting orders from Lord Glorfindel as to their return to Imladris. Now they had their answer. Many things were to be done this evening before sleep could take them. The balrog slayer searched for Seth with his sharp eyes but could not see him anywhere. He knew that the boy had gone to take a bath but he would have been finished long before now. For a moment he was a little worried that perhaps the trouble-making elf had found Seth and thought it best to make sure Seth was not in harm's way. The first place to look for Seth, he presumed, would be his own tent. As soon as he entered the tent, Glorfindel spotted Seth sound asleep on his bedroll and this made him angry.

"SETH!"

Seth flew off his bedroll, shocked and greatly startled from Lord Glorfindel yelling his name.

"Did I give you permission to go to bed?" the elf lord asked in a rather perturbed tone of voice.

"I'm sorry, my lord, I was so tired and I didn't see you anywhere, and"… Seth felt a harsh slap across his face.

"You did not answer my question. Perhaps I have been too soft with you, boy. Maybe you do not know what it is that I expect of you."

Seth's hand came away from his sore cheek and he looked imploringly at his master. "Please forgive me! I am sorry!" "Answer my question," Lord Glorfindel demanded. "No sir, you did not give me permission to go to bed and you are right - I don't know what you expect of me."

"That is apparent. I will now explain. You have no choice in anything unless I give you a choice. You belong to me. It is that simple. You will get permission from me before you do anything or you will suffer the consequences. Also, never assume anything. Do you understand?"

Lord Glorfindel had said this so angrily that Seth was afraid of him. "Yes, master, I understand."

"_What_ do you understand?"

"That I belong to you and must do only as you say and that I have no choices and must not assume anything, my lord."

"Very good, young one; now, we have some work to do this evening as we will break camp in the morning and head back to Rivendell. I want you to pack up my belongings as well as your sparse belongings. This must be done tonight, for in the morning we will take down the tents and load our gear and supplies onto the horses. I consider getting a head start on any task to be excellent organization. Never forget that."

The elf lord exited the tent to leave Seth to his packing duties. So, they were heading to Rivendell tomorrow! Finally, Rivendell would be his new home. He would get to meet Lord Elrond, of whom he'd heard mentioned before. He was the lord of Imladris and a great healer. As Seth continued his musings about Rivendell and what he would find there, he first gathered his meager possessions and then began packing his lord's things. While packing up, he reflected on Glorfindel's speech, anger, and impatience with him and realized that he truly did not know what was expected of him after all. He would now need to try harder to be aware of his place in Lord Glorfindel's house and life. May the Valar help him.

After the packing was done to near perfection, Seth left the tent to go and find his master to see if there would be anything else required of him. As he walked through the camp, he noticed the elves were also preparing their belongings. He imagined they would have to get up extra early in the morning in order to tend to the horses, have breakfast, break camp and finish the packing. Of course, he was just doing something he was not supposed to be doing - assuming…

Lord Glorfindel's sharp, clear orders rang out in the night air, but they were not directed at him. He was telling his soldiers what to do, in elvish, of course. Seth really wanted to learn elvish. He hoped to do well with the learning as he did not want to disappoint his master. Lord Glorfindel had mentioned to him that in Rivendell he would have the opportunity for learning. That would most likely include languages, history, self defense, and weapons training. Yes, his master had spoken of these things briefly before and although he was excited about the prospect of learning; Seth couldn't help but feel worried, for he hoped he would not disappoint his master or embarrass himself.

Seth snapped out of his reverie when he realized his master had just stepped in front of him, putting a halt to his thinking and walking. At the sight of his lord, Seth lost all manner of, well, manners. He was nervous and did not know what to say.

"Came to find me, did you?"

"Yes sir."

"Well, it seems that you have found me! Now, what do you want?"

"I just wanted to see if you needed me to do anything else before I go to bed."

"Well, first I must inspect what you have done, and if it is to my satisfaction, then you may go to bed."

The two figures walked one in front of the other as Glorfindel took longer strides than Seth did. The night air was getting a bit cool and darkness had set in. There were stars out and the campfires helped light the way, at least for Seth. He doubted Glorfindel had any problems with night vision since he was an elf and elves had excellent vision, even in the dark. Because his mind was wandering in thought, they had reached the tent in no time. Seth was a bit jittery as Lord Glorfindel inspected his work; however, it was to his lord's liking.

"You did very well, Seth, both in the packing and in seeking me out for further instructions."

"Thank you, my lord, I am glad you are pleased." Glad was not the word, really, it was more like relieved, but he couldn't say _that_. After Glorfindel left him, he let out the breath he didn't realize he was holding in. Now, if he could remember and learn from his mistakes, then he would hopefully not make the same ones. That was his mission now. He did not want to be a failure and look bad in his lord's eyes, or be seen as a stupid human by other elves. There was a lot expected of him and he would strive to do his best. He could not disappoint Lord Glorfindel. He did not want to be sent away. He had to admit that he was afraid of that possibility. He felt that his lord had been easy on him and that he was holding back his anger and deserved punishment. He feared what Lord Glorfindel was really capable of and intended to never find out what it would be like to have his master's full wrath unleashed upon him.


	5. Chapter 5

The elves broke camp just before dawn. The area in which they had made temporary residence was left almost as they had found it. The respect of nature was important to elves, even more so than in most humans. Seth took note of this. His father and the townsfolk had taken pride in working the land. Most of those in the community had thanked nature for its provisions and did the best they could to practice "respectful farming", which is what Seth's father had called it. Seth's reminiscent smile disappeared at the solemn reality in which everyone that he had known was dead.

The day would prove to be extremely long and tiring for Seth and he was thankful for any stops that were allowed. The company would reach Rivendell at nightfall which meant approximately fifteen hours of riding horseback at a none-too-slow pace. Lord Glorfindel had chosen one of the pack horses for Seth to ride. The elves had used up enough supplies at the encampment in order for three pack horses to be unladen on the return journey to Rivendell.

Seth's horse was Palomino in color, beautiful and strong. Riding on her back with just a blanket to sit on was actually fairly comfortable but Seth had to use more of his muscles to hold on than if he had been using a saddle. Of course, there were no extra saddles or bridles as the elves would not have needed them. His horse had a halter and rope which Seth used as a bridle, but it was more for security than anything since the horse followed along with the group seemingly effortlessly and without need for guidance.

As the day progressed, Lord Glorfindel sensed the anticipation among the troops to get home. Everyone knew, however, that anything could happen while on their journey-either bad or good. The elves kept alert to their surroundings and were ever vigilant and tried to suppress their thoughts of home. It was different for Seth. He felt safe with the elves and knew that Lord Glorfindel would protect him. Besides, at the moment the boy did not have any weapons with which to defend himself. As such thoughts swam throughout his young mind, he did not notice the angry eyes of a particular elf locked upon him.

Eventually, the pace slowed to prepare for the next resting period. The elves and horses were due for another break and Seth was thankful for this as he was hot, sweaty, and extremely thirsty. His water skin was empty and it was time for a refill. The area in which the group had stopped provided the much-wanted shade and water that Seth craved. Before he took care of himself, Seth made sure that his mare was cared for. He took her to the creek for a drink, took the blanket from her back and fluffed up her hair in order that she may cool off better, and then turned her loose so that she may enjoy the lush meadow grass.

When Seth was able to finally drink the cold water, it was like the best present he could ever get! He drank his fill, splashed his face, and found a shady spot to collapse on. The singing birds were akin to a lullaby which led Seth into a peaceful slumber. After about an hour, Seth was awakened by the sound of Glorfindel's voice calling for all to prepare to move out once again. Seth filled up his water skin, located the palomino, attached the rope to the halter, put the blanket on her back, and found a tree stump on which to assist him with the mounting up. "Here we go again," Seth said to the mare as he urged her onward, "Let's hope we get to Rivendell soon." The mare snorted in agreement and Seth smiled.

The intense traveling continued with intermittent stops along the way. Everyone had Lembas to nibble on, but Seth longed for a good meal. He knew that the elves were not going to waste time cooking when the elven bread would suffice. They just wanted to get home sooner rather than later and the boy felt the same way; thus, Seth downed another piece of the bread as they rode through the night.

After another grueling day of riding, the troupe reached Rivendell. Glorfindel dismissed the elves to attend to their horses and be off to their families. Seth took care of the mare and thanked her for getting him to his new home. Outside the stables, Seth found Lord Glorfindel.

"Let's go, boy," his master barked, "time to get cleaned up and turn in."

"Yes, Sir," Seth replied. He had no argument there.

Once inside Lord Glorfindel's chambers, they each took a welcomed bath. Since Seth had no clean clothes left, his master tossed him a sleep shirt. Seth put it on and was practically lost in it. "Oh well," thought Seth, "at least it's clean and I'm clean." He couldn't wait to get to sleep. Lord Glorfindel chuckled at the sight and led Seth to a small bedroom and left him there. The boy crawled into the comfortable, soft bed and knew no more.

In the morning, Lord Glorfindel got up but decided to let Seth sleep in a little longer. The boy must have been completely worn out. Glorfindel was impressed by the way Seth had traveled without complaint and did as he was told without question. "He's a good kid," Glorfindel mused to himself, "Perhaps he will fit in nicely in my house and in Rivendell."

Glorfindel went to breakfast and Lord Elrond greeted him, "Welcome back, my friend, I presume your travels were without incident."

"Thank you, Lord Elrond," Glorfindel bowed, "All is well. Shall I brief you after breakfast?"

"Of course," replied Elrond, "I look forward to your report."

When Glorfindel returned to his chambers, he found Seth on the balcony. The boy was swallowed up in Glorfindel's night shirt. Arrangements would be made today to get Seth some new clothes as he did not have many of his own. In the meantime, Seth could borrow clothing from an elf that was not as large as Glorfindel. The clothes Seth had brought with him were being washed and would not be ready until sometime in the afternoon.

"Good morning, my Lord," Seth said groggily.

"Good morning to you," his master replied. "I ordered a breakfast tray for you and it should arrive shortly."

"Thank you, Sir," said Seth, "I'm really hungry."

"I'll bet you are," agreed Glorfindel. "Once you are finished with your meal, I'll have some clothes for you to wear." With that, Glorfindel left to find the clothing for Seth.

Once the breakfast tray arrived, the young man devoured the food and drink. It was so delicious. "Ahh, I feel so much better," he said to himself as he patted his stomach. Seth was glad to be at his new home. He was clean, rested, and fed. It felt weird to be in Rivendell, though. The reality of his circumstances set in and tears began to form in his eyes. Just then, the elf lord returned to his chambers with the borrowed clothing for Seth. The boy dried his eyes and faced his master. "Here we are," said Glorfindel, "this clothing should fit you. Go and try it on." Seth did as he was told and found the clothing to be adequate, with the exception of being a bit too long. At least it was something to wear. He would change back into his old clothes once they were cleaned.

Now that Seth was actually in Rivendell, it seemed like a dream. The memories of his previous existence flashed through his mind and overwhelmed him with sadness, especially the fact that his father was dead. As the tears fell, Seth remembered how his father had spoken so highly of elves in general and, of course, more specifically of Lord Glorfindel. The young man realized that by striving to do his best in all things here in Rivendell, he would do his father's memory proud.

After processing the emotional memories, Seth looked at his surroundings in Lord Glorfindel's chambers and accepted that this was his new home. He was thankful for it and for his master's willingness to take him in. Seth walked out onto the balcony and breathed in the fresh, clean air. He closed his eyes, put his head back, extended his arms up towards the sky, and enjoyed the breeze upon his face.

Lord Glorfindel emerged from his study and saw Seth on the balcony. He smiled satisfactorily at the boy, knowing he would do well and flourish here in his new home.


End file.
